


Unconditionally

by Whittakerjodie



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Timelord reader, suspected manipulation but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:47:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23446480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whittakerjodie/pseuds/Whittakerjodie
Summary: The Doctor, believing you've been brainwashed, tries to 'help' you. You're having none of it.
Relationships: The Master (Dhawan)/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 60





	Unconditionally

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on my tumblr, WhittakerJodie. Requests can be made there, thanks for reading!

Even travelling with the Master for hundreds of years, knowing every adventure would end up this way, you were disappointed that the evening had taken a turn for the worst. When you first landed, the Master had given you time to explore the planet before he began overthrowing the monarchy. 

In the fields of Dianus he sat with you for hours, listening intently while you read the book you’d brought along. Long fingers softly tangled themselves in your hair as you fought the urge to fall asleep. When your stomach started to rumble, he hoisted you to your feet and, with an excited grin, led you to a massive restaurant so you could have lunch together. Finally, before he began enacting his ‘evil plan’ he took you to the Diamond Gardens. 

Each flower seemingly shone with the power of a thousand suns, reflecting light all over the place. You gasped as you stepped past the arch, fingers moving outward to carefully brush against the precious stones. 

“Do you like them, the diamonds?” The Master asked, arms wrapping around your waist. He reached down to rip one of the flowers from the ground (an act you were sure was _very_ illegal on this planet, not that it mattered to him) His hand moved to yours, unfolding your fingers so he could set the glittering flora in your palm. 

“I love them” You whispered, and he smiled before dipping down to press a deep kiss into your lips, holding you possessively against his form. Against your lips he promised, 

“When this is all over, I’ll fetch that princess’s crown for you. It deserves to be worn by a true princess” Your eyes widened. You’d seen the crown he was talking about in paintings and flags all across the kingdom you were visiting. Although you couldn’t accurately tell based on the different renditions, it seemed massive, with hundreds of gemstones adorning its surface. 

Per his instruction, you were to wait either in the gardens or in his TARDIS for him to finish his chaos. It wasn’t that you didn’t support him, it was just rather hard to see. So, as he left the garden to fetch your present and release some of his rage, you turned back to the flowers so you could take pictures. It didn’t take long before you could hear sounds of unrest begin to get louder and louder. It was rather irritating, so you made the decision to go back to the Master’s TARDIS after sneakily grabbing a few more flowers. 

The streets were panicked and screaming about ‘invaders in the castle’, so you had some difficulty getting past the crowds. Suddenly you heard someone yell: “Y/N!” It was not the Master’s voice, and, to your knowledge, no one else on this planet knew you.

Instead of acknowledging the mystery person, you began to walk faster. The last thing you needed was to interrupt the Master’s plans by getting kidnapped. Obviously, if you were to be taken, he would come to your rescue, but it was rather inconvenient. The voice yelled for you again and you kept speeding up gradually, until you were in a full sprint. 

To your right and left, there was a web of connected alleyways that you could conceal yourself in. However, you’d never been in said alleyways, and you didn’t want to run the risk of getting caught in a dead end. The castle was close; hopefully, you could make it there, get past whatever defenses they were putting up to get rid of the Master, and safely get to his side. 

It didn’t seem like there were any defenses, which you found rather suspicious. The possibility of an ambush flew away in the wind as your eyes, which had been scanning the ground, landed on a small pile of shrunken men. Classic. There was a door on the side of the castle, one that you were assuming was reserved for the servants and various workers. That would be your entrance, you decided. Unfortunately, the third party that had called out your name had a different idea. 

“Y/N.” The voice moved softly through the air, carrying recognition with it. _The Doctor._ Every muscle in your body tensed, like her words had seeped into your veins and paralyzed any attempt at movement. Only your head could turn, eyes narrowing. 

“Doctor,” You acknowledged. She sighed, stepping closer. 

“I should’ve known the Master was up to this. I’m surprised he wasn’t more extreme this time.” 

“He’s barely doing anything,” You say with an edge to your words. The Doctor was always ruining the Master’s plans- she had ever since the three of you had first begun drifting apart in your early days on Gallifrey. 

“You know that’s not true, Y/N. What’s he done to you?” 

“ _What’s he done to me?_ ” You face toward her now, anger coating your tongue. Why couldn’t she leave you be? Everytime you’d seen her, whether it be with the Master or not, she always reduced your motivations- always reduced _you_ \- to another one of the Master’s pawns. But your relationship was so much more than that; it’d been centuries, now, travelling with him, and while you didn’t exactly approve of everything he did, you loved him all the same.

You’d told the Doctor that, when your heart and mind were nearly torn to pieces by his acts on The Valiant. When Missy was trapped in the vault, you insisted upon visiting her nearly every day because you _cared_. Every single time, you spoke only the truth and yet the Doctor, wise in her uncountable years, couldn’t listen to your words properly. 

“I saw this before, with Lucy. You remember her, right? His wife? His hypnotization wasn’t just on the British people, Y/N, and I can _help_ you.” 

Oh… she thought… he was _manipulating_ you. Using his many tactics and charms to bend you to his will. You supposed, if she was correct, you wouldn’t be able to tell that here was any sort of distortion, but it certainly didn’t _fee_ l like he was changing you. That was obvious enough in all the times you were able to tell him off and get away with it. 

“He’s not- he wouldn’t _do_ that” You tried to explain. But the Doctor’s eyes were still looking at you with a powerful pity, hands stretching towards you. You scoffed; You’d cut her out long ago, to avoid events like the one currently unfolding. 

“Just let me show you,” She whispered carefully, eyebrows raised to ask your permission. Although hesitation was making you lean backward, you knew it would be most beneficial to just give in. Otherwise, the Doctor wouldn’t stop and the next time you had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting her she would likely bring this up again. So, as her fingers eased against the skin at your temple, you gave no resistance. 

Time Lords were all, to an extent, telepathic. Most could only communicate through touch, and only without when engaging with close friends or loved ones. You hadn’t used your telepathy in years beyond short conversations with the Master when required, so the sensation of the Doctor softly combing through the branches of your mind was unfamiliar and slightly uncomfortable. Before you shut your eyes in an attempt to block out any further discomfort, you saw the Doctor’s eyebrows furrow in frustration. 

“He’s always been talented at this,” She grumbled. Her irritation was eclipsed by your satisfaction: she wasn’t finding _anything_. The short-coming had nothing to do with you, either. You were fully opening your mind to her, and still she could find no evidence of wrong-doing. 

As your triumph grew, so did your boldness. Gathering your most favorite memories of your time with the Master, you threw together a mountainous glacier of thought towards the Doctor through your growing link. Each one was backed up by your unfiltered feelings of love and respect, building a bridge to help you get your point across to her properly. With a yelp, she dropped her hands from your head and your eyes shot open as the connection was severed. 

“Y/N, what are you doing? You have to let me help” She pressed. The genuine concern in her eyes only irritated you further. 

“Don’t you see?” You growled, trying to calm your mind so it would stop ringing as hard as it was. “The Master isn’ manipulating me, he’s not hypnotizing me, _nothing._ I have loved him, fully, _freely,_ for years. I loved him when he died that day on the Valiant. I loved him when he came back to life, when he was a woman- and _god_ , what a time that was- and I love him now, Doctor. What will it take you to realize that this is my choice?” 

The timelord’s eyes were wide, hands slowly dropping back to your sides. Then, there was the sound of footsteps behind you and her gaze shifted there, eyes narrowing again. “I’d like to hear it from him, I think.” 

You didn’t have to look to see who was approaching; the Master’s stormy presence slipped easily into your mind, not to influence, but to help brush away the remaining aches from the Doctor’s search. His arm wrapped around your shoulder, and from his fingers, the princess’ crown hung, sparkling in the light around you. The Doctor’s lips tightened as he kissed the side of your head softly, and you noticed it missed its usual intensity. 

“When I learned you were on planet, I assumed you were here to foil my plans. Imagine my disappointment when I found you trying to ruin something else of mine.” 

“She’s not _yours_ -” the Doctor began, but she was interrupted by your insistent, 

“Yes, I am. “ To give more weight to your point, you reminded her through gritted teeth: _“By choice”_

The Master’s arm tightened around you, and his other arm was moving to the pocket against your back. Face unmoving, you tried not to give away his plan. “Do you hear that, Doctor? Or are you too stubborn to admit that someone would rather travel with me than you?” 

His statement packed a punch; millenia ago, when the Doctor had first left Gallifrey with her granddaughter, clinging to the idea of a better life and a sense of duty you knew would last until the end of the universe itself, she’d asked you to come along. At that time, you weren’t yet intertwined with the Master in the way you were now, but you still couldn’t find yourself to leave with her. 

That refusal was repeated a few times, in her 7th life, her 9th, and most persistently in her 10th life, after you’d watched the Master die in her arms. As the Master’s TARDIS, back in it’s default form, began to materialize around you, you watched the Doctor’s face fall. Past the point when you could no longer see her, the disappointment and shock that radiated from her eyes remained, settling in your mind, blanketed in your own disgust. 

The Master knew exactly what to do to get her out of your mind. Your body swung downward as he dipped you lowly, pressing a searing kiss to your lips. The effect of gravity pulled on you and you wrapped your arms around his neck to ensure that you wouldn’t fall (although the move was unnecessary; you knew he would always catch you). After a long moment, he broke away from you to rest his head against yours, a laugh ringing through the air. 

“I love you,” you whisper breathlessly, unsure of if his maniacal cackle would drown it out or not. His lips landed on your forehead with his usual intensity, the laugh continuing in the back of his throat. Before you could lift yourself up to meet his lips again, he tugged you back upward, causing you to fall rather clumsily into him. His hearts were beating against his chest and into your ears, his mind playfully embracing yours. 

“Did you mean all that, back at the castle?” His fingers ease into your hair similar to earlier, briefly massaging your scalp before smoothing the tousled hair down and holding you tighter to his chest. 

“Of course I did,” you mumble. “Don’t ever doubt that.” 

The hand on the back of your head gave a small tug backward so you were looking into his eyes. Although it was unlikely he would allow the growing tears to fall, you rested your hand against his cheek in case you needed to wipe any away. His bottom lip was extended in a pout, watching you carefully. He could see into your mind, yet, similarly to the Doctor, he would always, to an extent, doubt the truth he found there. The Master wasn’t one to believe strongly in love, but you were willing to change that. 

“I love you,” You reminded him. He nodded, kissing your forehead again. It didn’t bother you that he didn’t say it back. The Master’s love was always more evident in his actions, not the words that he felt would trap him. A weight caused your head to fall slightly and you realized he was putting the crown on top of your head, carefully shifting it until it reached his ideal of perfection. 

“There,” He whispered. “Now it’s in its proper place.” 

You laughed slightly, trying to get used to the accessory as he pulled his arms from around your waist, jogging to his console. 

“Now, I’m taking you somewhere _incredible_ , somewhere where she will never find us. Name your preferences, dear, because it’s all for you” 

His eyes are excited now, hands shaking as they reach for the buttons and levers on the console. You were reminded, in times like these, just how much you love him, and always will. Before you began thinking of the type of place you’d like him to whisk you off to, you tucked away the events of the last few hours into your favorite memories. 


End file.
